Syndactyly

Syndactyly is a congenital condition in which two or more fingers or toes are joined by skin, connective tissue, or bone. It ranges from simple soft-tissue webbing to complex fusion of bones and nails.

Digital rays: Longitudinal structures in the developing limb bud that give rise to fingers or toes. Syndactyly arises when separation between neighboring digital rays is incomplete.
Apical ectodermal ridge: A specialized embryonic tissue at the limb bud tip that directs limb outgrowth. Its signaling contributes to the patterning of developing digits.
Hand surgery: Surgical care of conditions affecting the hand, wrist, and forearm. Separating joined fingers is a specialized hand-surgery procedure.
Polysyndactyly: A congenital limb difference combining extra digits with fusion between some digits. It combines syndactyly with polydactyly in a single limb.
Apoptosis: A regulated process of cell death that helps shape tissues during development. Apoptosis normally removes tissue between developing digits.
Fibroblast growth factor: A family of signaling proteins that regulate cell growth, differentiation, and development. FGF signaling helps coordinate limb-bud growth and digit formation.
Syndactyly release: An operation that separates joined digits and reconstructs their intervening skin. It is the principal surgical treatment for functionally or cosmetically significant syndactyly.
Apert syndrome: A genetic syndrome marked by craniosynostosis and characteristic fusion of fingers and toes. Its complex syndactyly is a defining limb feature.
Limb development: The embryonic processes that form the bones, muscles, and connective tissues of arms and legs. Digit separation is one stage of limb development.
WNT signaling pathway: A cell-signaling network involved in embryonic development and tissue patterning. WNT signals participate in the developmental processes that separate digits.

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